Chapter 36: American zenith - PowerPoint Presentation

Chapter 36: American zenith 1952 - 1963

Affluence and Its Anxieties Economic boom of the US continues after World War 2. One out of 4 homes in 1960 had been built during the 1950s, 83% of those homes were in suburbia. Transistor invented in 1948, helped create computers. Had hundreds of miles of wiring and thousands of fickle cathode ray tubes. International Business Machines (IBM) became prototype of high tech corporations.

Computers helped billing and inventory control. Aerospace industries grew because of Strategic Air Command and to robustory connection between military and civilian aircraft production. “ white collar ” workers outnumbered “ blue collar ” workers, which wanted passage from industrial to postindustrial economy. Union membership of labor forced peaked at about 35% but in 1954 began to decline. White-collar employment opened opportunities for women. “cult of domesticity” emerged in culture to celebrate eternal feminine functions. “Ozzie and Harriet” or “Leave it to Beaver” say families have husband, two kids, and homebound wife. 1950s began to change that stereotype.

40 million jobs created after 1950. 30 million were clerical and service work. “ pink collar ghetto ” was created after the war, was dominated by women. Betty Friedan : was a feminist that fueled women’s feelings. Published The Feminine Mystique : classic feminist protest literature that launched the modern women’s movement. Women applaud her for indictment of stifling boredom of housewifery.

Betty Friedan

Consumer Culture in the Fifties 1950s was huge expansion of middle class. Diner’s Club introduced plastic credit card in 1949. McDonalds was first fast food in San Bernardino, California. Disneyland opened its doors in Anaheim, California in 1955. Fast food became popular.

Only 6 TV stations in 1946 Decade later have 442 stations. TVs owned by rich people during the 1940s, but in 1960s every American home had one. Movie theatres began to decline because of TVs. Question was asked “Why is TV called medium” the answer was “Because it’s never well done or rare”. Baptist Billy Graham , Pentecostal Holiness preacher Oral Roberts , and Catholic Fulton J Sheen took advantage of the new airways to spread Christian gospel.

Sports represented shift in the West and south 1958, New York Giants moved to San Francisco Music also became popular too. Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935. Elvis fused black rhythms and blues in order to create rock n’ roll. Rock was “crossover” music of the whites and the blacks. Rock n’ roll was seen as a rite of passage for some people. Traditionalist were repelled by Elvis. Marylin Monroe helped standardize sensuous sexuality.

Marylin Monroe Elvis Presley

David Riesman was a sociologist that portrayed postwar generation as peak of conformists, wrote book The Lonely Crowd Willian H Whyte Jr wrote The Organization Man and Sloan Wilson wrote The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit Series of books created in 1958 called The Affluent Society.

The Advert of Eisenhower Democrats nominated Adlai E. Stevenson , governor of Illinois. Republicans chose General Dwight D. Eisenhower . Eisenhower was already very popular across the US “I like Ike” buttons Called Stevenson “Adlai the appeaser”, with a “Ph.D. from Dean Acheson’s College of Cowardly Communist Containment” Nixon was accused of taking illegal donations. Tried to lie to about it. Checkers Speech saved Nixon though, and also helped changed American politics.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

TV become a political tool. Allowed candidates to speak directly to voters. Eisenhower won Election of 1952 by a large vote. Was optimistic and caring. Eisenhower attempted to end Korean war. Threatened to use nuclear weapons. Armistice was signed to end Korean War. Korea still divided at 38 th parallel.

Desegregating in the South Southern blacks governed by Jim Crow Laws. Blacks segregated from whites. Seen as inferior. Gunnar Myrdal , wrote An American Dilemma , which was about the contradiction between America's professed belief that all men are created equal and its terrible treatment of black citizens in his book. Sweatt v. Painter was a law case where the Supreme court has said segregating blacks and whites in professional schools failed the test of equality Rosa Parks in 1955 refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white person in Montgomery, Alabama. Soon the blacks boycotted the bus, was called the Montgomery Bus Boycott Martin Luther King Jr. began to gain popularity during the boycott.

Rosa Parks Montgomery boycott bus

Seeds of the Civil Rights Revolution Harry Truman ended segregation in federal services. Ordered equality in forces in 1948 Congress and Eisenhower ignored the issue, Chief Justice Earl Warren stepped up and addressed civil rights for African Americans. In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas , Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.  The decision reversed the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson. South did not like the ruling. Congressmen from these states signed the "Declaration of Constitutional Principles" in 1956.

President Eisenhower did not support integration because he shied away from social issues. Orval Faubus , in September 1957 the governor of Arkansas, used the National Guard to prevent 9 black students from enrolling in Little Rock's Central High School.  Eisenhower sent troops to help the children to their classes. In 1957, Congress passed the first Civil Rights Act since Reconstruction.  It set up a permanent Civil Rights Commission to investigate violations of civil rights and protect voting rights.

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr . formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957.  It sought to mobilize the power of black churches on behalf of black rights.  February 1, 1960, 4 black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina want service at a whites-only lunch counter.  Within a week, the sit-in reached 1,000 students, spreading a wave of wade-ins, lie-ins, and pray-ins across the South demanding equal rights.  April 1960, southern black students formed the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee

Martin Luther King Jr.

Eisenhower Republicanism at Home When dealing with people, President Eisenhower was liberal When dealing with the economy and the government, he was conservative.  He strived to balance the federal budget and to not want America to have socialism. 1954, help Mexican government's worries that illegal Mexican immigration to the United States would cut the bracero program of legally imported farmworkers President Eisenhower deport 1 million illegal immigrants in Operation Wetback . Eisenhower tried to make Native Americans to be more like Americans. Plan was failed because most tribes refused Eisenhower wanted cancel New Deal programs not get public support to do so. He supported the Federal Highway Act , created thousands of miles of highways.

A “New Look” in Foreign Policy 1954, secretary of state John Foster Dulles make a policy of boldness where super bombers would be built and equipped with nuclear bombs This would let US to threaten countries such as the Soviet Union and China with nuclear weapons. Eisenhower try make peace with Soviet Unions. Hungarians rose up against Soviet masters but US no help them. Hungarian uprising help America see that nuclear weapons too strong.

The Vietnam Nightmare Nationalist movements tried to throw the French out of Vietnam. Vietnam leader Ho Chi Minh became increasingly communist, tried to personally appeal to Woodrow Wilson in Paris. Nationalists won at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, a peace was called. Vietnam was divided at the 17 th parallel. Ho Chi Minh was given the north. Ngo Dinh Diem , was given the south.

Cold War Crisis in the Middle East 1953 effort to secure Iranian oil for Western countries, CIA created a coup that installed Mohammed Reza Pahlavi as the dictator of Iran President Nasser of Egypt want funds from the West and the Soviets to build a dam on the Nile River. After the Americans learned of Egypt and Soviets, the Americans withdrew their monetary offer. Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, which was owned by the French and British.  October 1956, the French and British attacked Egypt, starting the Suez Crisis .  The two countries retreat after America refused to provide them with oil.

1960, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and Venezuela joined together to form the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

Round Two for Ike President Eisenhower beat Stevenson, reelected in the election of 1956. Fraud and corruption in American labor unions caused Ike pass labor laws. 1959 Eisenhower passed the Landrum-Griffin Act .  Hold labor leaders more to illegal financials. October 4, 1957, the Soviets launched the Sputnik I into space.  November, they launched the satellite Sputnik II with a dog.  The two satellites make Americans feel doubtful and raised some questions.

Sputnik

President Eisenhower established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Sputnik made Americans feel like Soviets were more powerful 1958, National Defense and Education Act (NDEA) gave support to improve teaching sciences and languages.

The Continuing Cold War Due to environmental concerns, the Soviet Union in March 1958 suspended nuclear tests and the United States followed after. Khrushchev want Western powers to remove their forces in West Berlin and want to meet with Eisenhower. Paris conference, on eve of conference Soviets shot down American U-2 spy plane. Cold War cause problems with neighbors as well. Latin America resent Uncle Sam’s billions of dollars on Europe. Latin America mad at Washington is always intervening. Fulgencio Batista had huge investment in America’s capital, so helped him get support.

Fidel Castro had revolution to oust Batista. Castro denounced Yankee and began to pursue a land distribution program. Became united with Soviets This cause US to be tired and release them from imperialistic slavery, cut off heave US imports of Cuban sugar. Exodus anti-Castro Cubans head for US. US imposed strict embargo on trade with Cuba.

Kennedy Challenges Nixon for the Presidency Republicans nominated Richard Nixon to run for president and Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. for vice president in the election of 1960  Democrats nominated John F. Kennedy to run for president and Lyndon B. Johnson for vice president. Kennedy’s faith not liked by the people in the Bible Belt South.  South say “I fear Catholicism more than I fear communism” Nixon agree meet Kennedy for 4 debates. Viewers of TV liked Kennedy more because he was more glam. Kennedy won electoral 303 to 219. He was also the youngest to become president (43). Good in industrial centers. Got support from African Americans, Catholics, and African Americans.

Richard Nixon with Henry Cabot Lodge John F Kennedy with Lyndon Johnson

When Martin Luther King Jr in jail, Nixon wanted southern voters, so decline to comment publicly on arrest and avoid communication with Mrs. King. Eisenhower leave office and warn “ military-industrial complex ”. Alaska and Hawaii gained statehood in 1959

A Cultural Renaissance New York became the art capital of the world after WWII. Jackson Pollock helped develop abstract expressionism in the 1940s and 1950s. Dripped paint on huge flats in art studio. American architecture also reached new after WWII. Many skyscrapers were created in a modernist or " International Style .“ Lot of tall buildings Ernest Hemingway wrote The Old Man and the Sea   John Steinbeck , another pre-war writer, graphic portrayals of America Joseph Heller's Catch-22 discussed American airmen in the wartime Mediterranean

Poetry and playwrights also gained popularity during the postwar era.  Poets highly critical, have short lyrics. Play writers were mostly acute observers. Tennessee Williams wrote about misfits that band together. Also have The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ( Mark Twain ) and Great Gatsby ( F. Scott Fitzgerald )

New Cultural Voices Books by black authors made best-seller lists. Led by William Faulkner , the South also had a literary renaissance. Renaissance helped track changes reshaping the postwar South. Harvest of books a lot by Jewish novelists.

Kennedy’s “New Frontier” Spirit Kennedy’s inauguration, say “the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans” Youngest president elected one of the youngest cabinet members, his brother, Robert F. Kennedy . Wanted to reform FBI and work on civil rights enforcement. J. Edgar Hoover was against Robert. Robert S McNamara left presidency of the Ford Motor Company to take over Defense Department .

Kennedy's pushed his " New Frontier " plans, try to fix unemployment and inflation and keeping wages high for workers. This plan inspired patriotism. Kennedy proposed the Peace Corps , an army of mostly youthful volunteers to bring American skills to other countries. Southern Democrats and Republicans no like the New Frontier plan.  In 1962, he negotiated a noninflationary wage agreement with the steel industry.  When the steel industry announced price increases, promoting inflation, Kennedy yelled at the steel managers in Oval office. This caused the industry to lower its prices. 

Kennedy also proposed a multibillion-dollar plan to land an American on the moon ( Apollo ) July 1969 2 NASA astronauts able to do land on moon, was broadcast all over television.

Apollo 11

Foreign Flare-Ups and “Flexible Response” August 1961, the Soviets began to construct the Berlin Wall , Designed to stop the large population drain from East Germany to West Germany through Berlin. Western Europe was prospering after the Marshall Plan aid and the growth of the European Economic Community (EEC) The EEC was the free-trade area that evolved into the European Union. Kennedy secured passage of the Trade Expansion Act in 1962, authorizing tariff cuts of up to 50% to promote trade between America and the EEC countries.

Defense Secretary Robert McNamara pushed the strategy of " flexible response ". This was the idea that America would deploy military options around the world that could match the gravity of the crisis.  President Kennedy increased spending on the Special Forces. The doctrine of "flexible response" lowered the level at which diplomacy would give way to shooting. It provided a way for a progressively and increasing use of force. Ngo Dinh Diem in Saigon ruled since partition of Vietnam. Americans entered in order to foster political stability and to help protect Diem from communists.

Cuban Confrontations 1961 Kennedy signed the Alliance for Progress , which was like the Marshall Plan for Latin America. Its goal was to help the Latin American countries close the gap between the rich and the poor. Results were disappointing as America's money did not impact Latin America's social problems. April 17, 1961, 1,200 American-supported Cuban exiles landed at Cuba's Bay of Pigs . Kennedy did not want to get involved. The invasion failed after the exiles were forced to surrender. 

American attempt to overthrow Castro caused Castro to support the Soviets. October 1962, it was discovered that the Soviets were secretly installing nuclear missiles in Cuba.  Kennedy ordered a naval "quarantine" of Cuba and demanded immediate removal of the weapons.  For a week, Americans waited while Soviet ships approached the patrol line established by the U.S. Navy off the island of Cuba.  October 28, Khrushchev agreed to a compromise, he would pull the missiles out of Cuba.  The Americans also agreed to remove from Turkey some of it’s own missiles targeted at Soviets, this was the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Prolonged negotiations in Moscow , pact say to prohibit trial nuclear explosions signed in 1963

June 1963 at Washington DC , President Kennedy gave a speech in which he encouraged Americans to abandon the negative views of the Soviet Union.  He tried to lay the foundations for a realistic policy of peaceful coexistence with the Soviet Union.

The Struggle for Civil Rights Kennedy had gained the black vote by promising that he would pass civil rights legislation Was slow to pass legislation during his presidency Didn't want to lose support from southern Congressmen because he needed them to pass his economic and social legislations. Needed to pass medical bills, believed that would help African Americans in the long run 1960, groups of Freedom Riders in the South tried to end segregation in facilities serving interstate bus passengers. White mob torched a Freedom Ride bus in Anniston, Alabama on May 1961 When southern officials did nothing to stop violence that had erupted at these protests, Washington federal marshals were dispatched to protect the freedom riders.

Kennedy administration was united with civil rights movement. Robert Kennedy tried to wiretap into Martin Luther King’s phone in 1963, but the Kings and the Kennedys were still on good terms. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and other civil rights group inaugurated the Voter Education Project . The Voter Education Project want to register the South's historically disfranchised blacks. 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. launched a campaign against discrimination in Birmingham, Alabama, the most segregated big city in America.  Civil rights marchers were repelled by police with attack dogs and high-pressure water hoses and electric cattle prods. Little children bowled down the streets like tumbleweed President Kennedy delivered a speech to the nation on June 11, 1963 Called situation “moral issue” and wanted to find a solution.

Martin Luther King, Jr. led 200,000 black and white demonstrators on a peaceful March on Washington in support of the proposed new civil rights legislation The “I Have a Dream” speech happened here. Medgar Evers was a black Mississippi civil rights worker that was shot down by a white gunman

The Killing of Kennedy On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was shot and killed as he was riding in an open limousine in Dallas, Texas.  VP Johnson was then quickly sworn in. The alleged gunman was Lee Harvey Oswald .  Oswald was shot and killed by self-appointed avenger, Jack Ruby .  Lyndon B. Johnson retaining most of Kennedy's cabinet.  Kennedy was praised more for his ideals than what he had actually achieved.

Lee Harvey Oswald Jack Ruby